First Look: Auto-Ordnance 9 mm Thompson Carbine

Auto-Ordnance, a division of the Kahr Firearms Group, announced the launch of the company's new T5-9L20 Thompson carbine, which is chambered in the popular 9 mm cartridge.

"Fans of the Thompson product line have been asking about a 9 mm for a number of years," stated Frank Harris, VP Sales and Marketing. "We took our time to make sure that we got it perfect before we introduced it to the market. We really think that this 9mm Thompson is going to be a hit with shooting enthusiasts across the globe."

The new 9 mm Thompson Carbine retains the look and feel of the classic Thompson submachine gun chambered in .45 ACP. The rifle features a frame and receiver constructed from a solid piece of billet aluminum, while the vertical fore grip, pistol grip and butt stock are all constructed from American walnut wood.

The carbine features a finned barrel that measures 16.5 inches long. The added Cutts-style compensator included with the gun increases the overall barrel length to 18 inches. The overall length of the gun measures 41 inches. The Thompson comes equipped with a blade front sight and an adjustable rear sight.

The Thompson submachine gun has been in existence for more than 100 years, and this new model marks the first time that a production model has been chambered in a caliber smaller than the classic .45 ACP.

Auto-Ordnance offers nearly 30 different semi-automatic models of the iconic Thompson submachine gun, including models that replicate the famous "Chicago Typewriter" used during the 1920s, as well as the Thompson M1 used widely by Allied troops during WWII. Short-barreled rifle variants are also available, as well as guns offered in gold- and silver-plated finishes.

John Taliaferro Thompson first introduced this iconic firearm back in 1915, and by 1921, production models were rolling off the assembly line. The Auto-Ordnance 9 mm Thompson carbine is the latest in more than a century of production, and the rifle retails at a suggested price of $1,364.